Per John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, Smith said he forgives Incognito “for instigating the incident” that resulted in Smith’s three-game suspension, which includes Week One of the regular season.

Even if Incognito instigated the incident, Smith crossed the line by removing Incognito’s helmet and trying to strike him in the face/head with it.

The same thing happened between the two last September. Incognito instigated an incident that resulted in Smith kicking Incognito in the head repeatedly, when Incognito grabbed Smith’s leg to, as Incognito told PFT, keep Smith from getting to a loose ball.

Smith was fined for kicking Incognito in the head repeatedly. Incognito wasn’t fined at all.

But it may not be entirely on Smith and/or Incognito this time around. The stage was set for a potential fracas, thanks to the official game program published by the Texans.

As is the usual case, a copy of the program was placed on every chair of every player in the Texans’ locker room. In it, Smith and Incognito were dubbed at page 6 as “players to watch,” with Incognito receiving this description: “In Week 1 of 2012, offensive guard Richie Incognito frustrated Smith with what the Texans’ defensive end termed ‘dirty play.’ Incognito was caught on video trying to twist Smith’s ankle when the two were locked up on the ground, and Smith was none too pleased. . . . [K]eep your eyes on Incognito and whoever he lines up against.”

As one league source explained it to PFT, players routinely flip through the programs, and they often react to what they see in there. In this specific case, the program published by the Texans gave a one-sided view of the incident, overstating Incognito’s actions, ignoring that Smith kicked Incognito repeatedly in the head, and omitting that Smith, not Incognito, was fined for the incident.

Could that have stirred things up, resulting in perhaps a little Goodfellas-style pre-game instigation from a locker room full of testosterone? It’s hardly a stretch to envision teammates giving either player some good-natured ribbing — leading to some bad-natured conduct on the field.

Either way, Smith and Incognito won’t get a chance for Round Three during the regular season, since their teams don’t play each other.

this guy is an idiot….This is the NFL everything that is done is arguably instigating a fight. If the same thing was done on the streets it would be a assault charge. The fact of the matter is that everything that Incognito did in that game was legal within the NFL rules
but what Smith did was not. Everytime a players hits another player(blocking or tackling) it is arguably instigating a fight….Its not about that its about having self control not to react in the way Smith reacted. Another thing players talk junk during every NFL game if Smith can’t handle it without ripping someone helmet off and swinging it at their head he needs to get out the league. This guy is a goon the picture above shows him properly…with his goon mask on

Antonio Smith needs to learn that he, and he alone is responsible, no only for his actions, but also REACTIONS. Smith made himself as DIRTY a player he accuses Ingognito of being! Sure, Richie has been a dirty player. He has gotten a lot better , and has taken steps to get away from that kind of stuff. He hasn’t been perfect, but who has? Smith? Does he think HE is perfect? Does he think that he is Richies appointed Judge and jury? He must think so! He apparently thinks every player who’s had his facemask grabbed, should have the right to rip that players helmet off, and try to hit him with it!!!!! WOW Antonio, you don’t think that RICHIE isn’t going to use his reputation to his, and his teams advantage? Just to gain a competitive advantage on the field? WOW, like that’s never been done before!!!!!